The first Business Travel Management action we undertake with new clients is to set a company-wide Travel Policy. The aim of a defined travel policy is to drive cost effectiveness and leverage buying power with an important few preferred suppliers. Even simple domestic trips and overnight stays accumulate to become a substantial business expense that can benefit from closer management. Clear policies such as the examples below will assist in this objective.
• Managed authorisation of transactions that are exceptions to your Travel Policy
• All staff leverage corporate hotel and car hire negotiated rates
• Strict preferred airline policy
• All travellers book via one channel to consolidate buying power - nil ad hoc DIY transactions that dilute buying power and reduce savings
• Frequent Flyer memberships to accrue and leverage reward points earned
• Corporate frequent flyer membership rates reduced
• Cabin upgrades via redemption of frequent flyer points
• Single Business Charge Card solutions used to track expenditure and cash flow - rather than dozens of different credit cards
• A common Business Charge Card used as a business payment solution, free insurance leveraged and charge card rewards and points credited to company account
• Lowest fare of the day – economy unless otherwise specified and authorised
• Booking held without ticketing for maximum period to avoid change and cancellation fees
• Fixed date/time outbound-journey fares with semi-flexible tickets on return leg to allow for early completion or extended meetings
• Same day return journeys – minimal overnights
• Qantas primary domestic airline when schedule / network benefits are key factors
• Virgin Australia secondary preferred when price is the key factor
• CBD Australian hotels negotiated corporate rates budgeted at AUD135 per night
• Preferred car hire – Hertz corporate rates - small automatic with air-conditioning
• Booking held without ticketing for maximum period to avoid change and cancellation fees
• Economy unless otherwise specified and authorised
• Business Class for Directors on flights over 6 hours in duration
• Premium Economy where applicable for • Heads Of on flights over 6 hours in duration
• Direct flights only – not indirect journeys
• Qantas is the primary preferred international airline – oneworld primary airline alliance
• Secondary preferred – Singapore Airlines to Asia, Virgin Australia to WCUSA
CBD international hotels near business appointments - $180 - $220 budget
• Preferred car hire – Hertz corporate rates - small automatic with air-conditioning
Leverage our most popular form of payment, the American Express Business Charge Card and benefit from these substantial advantages:
• A line of credit with no pre-set spending limit, providing the flexibility to use the card for a wide range of business purchases including; office equipment, vehicle expenses, travel of course and all manner of other business expenses
• Control of business cash flow with up to 51 credit free days
• Easy tracking of business expenses via monthly statements with GST itemisation and ATO approved records
• Add employee Cards to your account and earn points for virtually every dollar they charge on the Card
• Points add up quickly and they won’t expire, as long as your account remains current
• Use your Membership Rewards points to book flights on any airline, without blackout dates and with the flexibility of using points for all or part of your fare
• Or use your points for car rentals, hotel stays
• Free domestic and overseas Travel Insurance Cover along with Travel
• Inconvenience and Accident Cover when you purchase your trip on your Card
To keep a tight control on travel expenditure all travel policies are set by you and then managed by Travbiz. Furthermore we work with your preferred procedures; for instance some clients choose to have all travellers liaise directly with their dedicated Travel PA (personal agent), who controls the travel policy and defers to your internal coordinator only for exceptions to your set policy. Others favour a process where their internal coordinator passes on all travel requests and works directly with their Travbiz PA. Either way we invariably establish a single controlling body (in your office) to set policy and authorise costs outside policy before ticket issue and such transactions.